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John Woods \/ The Canadian Press files<\/p>\n
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Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros says even the opposing team is excited to play in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes you go places in this league on the road and it\u2019s like, man, you\u2019ve gotta really work to get up for this one. And that\u2019s terrible to say, because you should be up for every game\u2026 But there\u2019s an adrenaline rush that you get on both sides here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bombers, fresh off a 30-28 victory in Calgary in Week 1, will try to start 2-0 for the sixth time in seven seasons when they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Thursday night. The Ticats are 0-1 after fumbling away a 30-27 overtime thriller to Montreal at home.<\/p>\n
If the Bombers sell approximately 1,000 more tickets between now and the 7:30 p.m. kickoff, they\u2019ll have sold out a 15th consecutive game.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery year, the first home game, I still get chills coming out (of the tunnel) and seeing the crowd,\u201d said special-teams ace Nick Hallett. \u201cThey mean everything to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
To get you ready for this week\u2019s tilt, here\u2019s the latest edition of 5 Storylines.<\/p>\n
TICATS SEEKING REDEMPTION<\/p>\n
The Ticats have some demons to exorcise at Princess Auto Stadium.<\/p>\n
They were shellacked 40-3 the last time they were in town (Sept. 27, 2025) in a game where seemingly nothing went their way.<\/p>\n
It started ugly, with Trey Vaval opening the contest with a 98-yard kickoff touchdown, and it was all downhill from there.<\/p>\n
Heck, even Dillon Mitchell caught a touchdown for Winnipeg.<\/p>\n
More importantly, Hamilton is desperate to end its string of slow starts. The Tiger-Cats have started every season since 2021 in an 0-2 hole. They are 3-6 against the Bombers during that span.<\/p>\n
DETERMINED DEFENCE<\/p>\n
It was an up-and-down showing by the Bombers\u2019 defence last week, to say the least.<\/p>\n
Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. and running back Dedrick Mills moved the ball with ease in the first half, then rallied late with an incredible 15-play drive in the game\u2019s final minutes to stay alive.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour second game has gotta be 100 per cent better than your first game. You get to see your flaws and weaknesses, and you get to correct it,\u201d said Bombers halfback Deatrick Nichols.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou saw a slow, sluggish start, but now, it\u2019s on to Week 2 and everyone\u2019s ready to roll. Everyone got their jitters out and it\u2019s just time to play some football now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The unit did a lot of good, though.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Jeff McIntosh \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Blue Bombers’ Jake Ceresna, right, tracks down Calgary Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. last Friday.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Jake Ceresna (three sacks) and Willie Jefferson (one sack and two pass knockdowns) were menaces on the D-line and will want to have a similar showing this week against Bo Levi Mitchell and Co.<\/p>\n Mitchell completed 34 of 39 passes for 307 yards and a pick against Montreal. His go-to target, and arguably the best pass catcher in the three-down circuit, Kenny Lawler, had four grabs for 58 yards.<\/p>\n In two games against the Bombers last year, Lawler had nine catches for 131 yards.<\/p>\n RUN GAME<\/p>\n If there\u2019s one area where the Bombers have an obvious advantage, it\u2019s the run game.<\/p>\n Nobody needs to be reminded how good Brady Oliveira is. He was in peak form in Calgary with 15 carries for 113 yards and a touchdown.<\/p>\n Then there\u2019s Hamilton, which produced an abysmal 35 rushing yards and averaged just 2.2 yards per carry against the Alouettes.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Jeff McIntosh \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Winnipeg Blue Bombers running Brady Oliveira was his usual bullish self last week in Calgary.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Their starting tailback is CFL newcomer Larry Rountree III, who played 16 games for the Los Angeles Chargers between 2021 and 2022.<\/p>\n He was stifled in his Canadian debut, managing 23 yards on eight carries, plus five catches for 17 yards.<\/p>\n Until proven otherwise, the Ticats are one-dimensional on offence.<\/p>\n FAMILIAR FACES<\/p>\n Centre Chris Kolankowski and receiver Keric Wheatfall are the latest former Bombers to end up in Hamilton.<\/p>\n The Bombers cut Kolankowski to get younger and cheaper on the O-line and allowed Wheatfall to walk in free agency.<\/p>\n This will be their first chance to stick it to their former club.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the shittiest part about this business. (Kolankowski) not being in the building sucks,\u201d said guard Patrick Neufeld. \u201cBut he\u2019s a competitor, he\u2019s going to play his butt off and I\u2019m sure he\u2019s got a little chip on his shoulder against us.\u201d<\/p>\n Kolankowski, 34, spent five seasons with the Bombers and started 69 games. The Blue and Gold are now rolling with rookie Tyler Elsbury in the middle of the offensive line.<\/p>\n \u201cWe love Chris\u2026 You always knew going into a game he was going to know all the fronts inside and out, get you in the right call. So from a players\u2019 standpoint, just great to be around,\u201d said Collaros.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd has done so much more than probably people would have projected for him. I\u2019m sure he would say that, too. Being a shorter person as well, that chip on your shoulder is a real thing. So what he\u2019s accomplished so far in his career and continues to do is impressive.\u201d<\/p>\n Wheatfall found the end zone in his Ticats debut with a four-yard TD run, along with six receptions for 46 yards. He also fumbled in overtime to set Montreal up for the win.<\/p>\n Returner\/receiver Myron Mitchell, who played four games for the Bombers in 2024, is back in the CFL and also with Hamilton in a starting role. Lawler, running back Johnny Augustine, quarterback Jake Dolegala, kicker Marc Liegghio, defensive linemen Owen Hubert and Miles Fox, and offensive lineman Liam Dobson are the other former Bombers on the roster.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t WATCH OUT FOR WHITE<\/p>\n Tim White made it loud and clear on Tuesday that he\u2019s done answering questions about his time in Hamilton.<\/p>\n The three-time all-star was released by the Tabbies after the sides failed to agree on an extension this off-season.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to say if he\u2019s bitter or upset as the 31-year-old has held his cards close to his chest since signing in Winnipeg. Perhaps he\u2019s determined to let his play do the talking, and if that\u2019s the case, the Ticats could be in trouble.<\/p>\n White led the Bombers with five catches for 60 yards and a touchdown against the Stampeders, and it would be no surprise to see him have an even bigger outing in his first game at home as a Bomber.<\/p>\n Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander shredded Hamilton\u2019s secondary for 336 yards and two touchdowns last week and remains undefeated as a starter (12-0) during the regular season.<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/taylorallen<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Taylor Allen Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree\/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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